India, May 24 -- Mumbai Indians struck twice inside the powerplay at the Wankhede on Sunday, removing Yashasvi Jaiswal first and then Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to leave Rajasthan Royals without both openers in a game carrying major playoff weight. For RR, batting first in a match they needed to control, the early double blow cut straight into their strongest plan.

Sooryavanshi's dismissal hurt more because of what came immediately after it. The 15-year-old looked up towards the sky in visible despair while walking back, his reaction capturing the pressure of the moment better than the scorecard could.

This was not only an early wicket. It was the wicket of the batter that Rajasthan needed to steady and revive the powerplay after Jaiswal had ...